Pentax K1000
K1000 is a 35mm film SLR camera made by Pentax and produced between 1976–97. Its design descends from the original Spotmatic series of screw-mount SLRs introduced in the 1960s. An affordable camera for the amateur photographer, it was a fully mechanical, manual camera designed without any program modes. It survived much longer than originally intended and became the archetypal "student's camera." The K1000 was equipped with all features required for manual photography: a TTL metering system, wide-ranging shutter speeds from 1/1000 to 1 s, and the ability to use all the available K-mount lenses made by Pentax and licensees such as Ricoh and Cosina. The K1000 omitted some features found on more advanced models, such as depth-of-field preview, self-timer, and separate meter on/off switch. Despite its great popularity and longevity of the same basic design, Pentax finally ceased production of the K1000 after more than 20 years in 1997. The K series evolved from the classic Spotmatic SP 1000, in fact the K1000 itself is essentially a Spotmatic with a bayonet rather than M42×1 screw mount. Versions *Original made in Japan, produced between 1976–78, metal body *Bodies assembled in Japan and Hong Kong between 1977–90, slightly modified, metal body *assembled in in China, between 1990–97, lid and bottom plate made of plastic Specifications Data of the camera shown on the right. BODY *Lens release: lever on the right lower side of the lens mount, slide downward and turn the lens counter clockwise, when mounting the lens the red marks of the lens and the camera must be aligned *Focusing: manual front focusing, via Fresnel matte screen, ring and scale window on the lens *Shutter: horizontally traveling, rubberized silk focal plane, speeds: 1/1000–1 s +B; setting: speed dial knob on the top plate *Shutter release: on the top plate, with cable release socket *Cocking lever: also winds the film, short stroke, retractable, on the right of the top plate *Frame counter: additive type, auto-reset, window on the cocking lever *Viewfinder: eye level SLR pentaprism, needle index of exposure meter visible in it *Exposure meter: full frame averaging TTL metering with built-in coupled match-needle meter ASA range: 20–3200, setting: ring and window on the speed dial, lift and turn *Exposure setting: manual, turn the speed dial or aperture ring until the needle aligned to the center of the index, in the finder *Rewind: folding crank on the top plate, turns when winding *Rewind release: a button on the bottom plate *Flash PC socket: left lower front side of the camera, w/ removable lid, X-Sync. 1/60, red X mark on the speed dial *Hot-shoe *Self-timer: none *Back cover: hinged, opens by lifting the re-wind lever *Tripod socket: 1/4 in *Strap lugs *Battery: 1.5 V LR44 alkaline or SR44 silver oxide (only for exposure meter) *Battery chamber: on the bottom plate *Attention: leave the lens cap on when you are not using the camera, there is no on-off switch for the exposure meter, so it works continuously *Engraving on the bottom plate: Assembled in China and serial no. 6131802 LENS (The lens shown on the right, different from kit lens) *SMC Pentax-A, 35-80mm f/4-f/5.6 w/ macro focus facility, *Pentax K-mount *Filter thread: 49mm *Aperture: f/4-f/22, setting: dial and ring on the lens *Zooming: dial and ring on the lens *Focus range: 0.4-5m +inf Links * The largest database K/PK mount lenses compatible Pentax (In english and French) * Photoethography review of the K1000 * Matt Denton's K1000 * Bojidar Dimitrov's Pentax K-Mount Page * Manual available for download from the Pentax site * Manual Cameras: K1000 * The Other Martin Taylor: In praise of the humble K1000 * Wikipedia K1000 entry * on www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand ** Pentax K1000 ** Pentax K1000 La Poste ** Pentax K1000 SE * Camerarepair.com K1000 Page * Video Manual by Shawnee Union Category: K mount Category: Japanese 35mm SLR Category: Pentax Category: P K1000